When Michael and Angela Ballard began exploring the world together, they never imagined their adventures would one day earn them a place among the globe’s most accomplished travelers. Now, the Chattanoogans are finalists for Biggest Traveler of the Year in the 2025 NomadMania Travel Awards – an honor often described as “the Oscars of travel.”
NomadMania, a global community of more than 25,000 avid explorers, celebrates exceptional journeys each year through its awards program. The Biggest Traveler title recognizes “the one and only, whose travels in the past year, in terms of both quantity and quality, render them a truly big traveler even by the standards of the NomadMania community,” according to the organization’s website.
Michael currently ranks No.1 in the world for the most NomadMania regions visited in 2025, having explored 188 distinct areas. Angela is close behind at No. 2 with 153 regions. Together, they’ve visited five continents and more than 50 countries this year, marking their third circumnavigation of the globe.
Their travels in 2025 have been as ambitious as they are extensive. The Ballards journeyed from the southernmost point of Africa to the northernmost point of Europe – all without flying – a feat that required weeks of planning and months on the road. Along the way, Michael logged driving miles in 136 NomadMania regions across 41 countries. The couple capped off their year with a special celebration: Angela’s 50th birthday aboard the Orient Express, one of the most iconic train journeys in the world.
A life built around adventure
The Ballards have made travel a way of life. Through their website, We Married Adventure (wemarriedadventure.com), they chronicle their experiences for readers in 181 countries, blending travel logs with photography, cultural insights and practical tips. Their storytelling aims to inspire others to explore the world with curiosity and respect for local traditions.
“We love discovering the unexpected,” the couple wrote on their blog, which they launched to document what began as a shared bucket list and evolved into a full-time lifestyle. “Adventure is more than just destinations – it’s how you approach life.”
That adventurous approach has also earned them recognition beyond NomadMania. Michael and Angela are contributors to Lonely Planet, Atlas Obscura and Google, where their immersive 360-degree photospheres from around the world have been viewed more than 35 million times. From desert caravans in Morocco to icy fjords in Norway, their images bring distant corners of the world closer to home for virtual travelers.
To date, the Ballards have visited 150 countries and all seven continents together – an achievement few travelers can claim. Yet they remain grounded in their roots in Chattanooga, which serves as their home base between expeditions.
Traveling seems to run in the Ballard family. Their son, Benjamin Ballard, was a finalist for the same Biggest Traveler award in 2024. His own yearlong overland journey took him from North America through Europe, Africa and Asia, largely without air travel – a nod to sustainable exploration and an echo of his parents’ approach to adventure.
The spirit of NomadMania
Founded as a global network for independent travelers, NomadMania divides the world into 1,301 regions – a structure designed to highlight lesser-known destinations and encourage travel beyond capital cities and tourist hot spots. The platform allows members to map their journeys, track statistics, plan future trips and engage with a community of explorers who share a passion for cultural discovery.
Each year, the NomadMania Travel Awards recognize outstanding achievements in several categories. In addition to Biggest Traveler of the Year, the program honors the Most Purposeful Traveler (those whose journeys benefit communities or causes), the Most Intrepid Traveler (those demonstrating courage and risk-taking), the Best Digital Travel Creator and the Best Travel Book.
Other distinctions include the Most Trusted Local Fixer, which celebrates individuals who help visiting travelers gain deeper access to their regions, and the Biggest Low Passport Index Traveler, awarded to explorers from nations whose passports offer limited visa-free access. This category highlights travelers from countries such as Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, where mobility barriers make international exploration especially difficult.
For comparison, the United States ranks 12th on the Henley Passport Index, tied with Malaysia.
Winners in all categories will be announced during NomadMania’s UN Masters Weekend, taking place Nov. 22–23. The event will bring together more than 100 travelers who have achieved the remarkable milestone of visiting all 193 United Nations member countries.
As they await the results, Michael and Angela show no signs of slowing down.
“We saw more regions of the world this year than any other traveler, but there’s still so much of the planet left to explore,” Michael says.
The couple is already planning new adventures for next year, including a return to Colombia and Nicaragua, a deep dive into Brazil, their first visit to Cabo Verde and explorations of new parts of Morocco, Italy, Scotland, Japan and New Zealand.
To learn more about the Ballards’ adventures, visit wemarriedadventure.com or explore the 2025 awards at nomadmania.com.